Thursday, November 28, 2013

Holy City is one of the most engaging breweries in
Charleston. They are one of the very few places around that help foster our
burgeoning homebrewing community by offering ingredients, and they host the
biggest homebrew competition in Charleston (possibly in the state). Their
brewers and staff are also some of the friendliest and totally cool people
you’ll ever meet. It stands to reason, then, that their most ambitious beer to
date would be released at a class they co-led with Westbrook to teach us
Charlestonians about the ins and outs of barrel aging beer. I unfortunately didn’t have the time to attend the class,
but I went and picked up a growler of the bourbon barrel aged Pluff Mud Porter.
Pluff Mud was one of HC’s first and one of their best, and throwing it into
bourbon barrels seems like a natural leap.

The beer pours black, but if you hold it up to the light,
you see a deep ruby color. The barrel aged version is a little cloudier than
the original. The beer poured out of my growler with little to no head. The
nose is very boozy, oak and caramel notes present as well. There is a slight
chocolatey undertone that is reminiscent of the original Pluff Mud. The
mouthfeel is medium, which is expected of a beer of this style. The lighter
body really complemented the big, complex, barrel aged flavors well compared
to, say, a stout. Booze is again prominent on the front end, accompanied by an
alcoholic burn that permeates throughout. The middle of the palate was my
favorite part of this beer – strong chocolate notes and very roasty - this is
where the original Pluff Mud really shines through. The beer finishes dry and
bitter with the alcohol burn lingering.

Overall, I think this beer held up very well to the barrel
aging process. Many of the popular barrel aged stouts we’re seeing nowadays are
really cranked up, making it hard to get through a whole bottle. Holy City’sPluff Mud is a more balanced offering, showcasing the complex, boozy trademarks
of barrel aging without making it a chore to drink. I would recommend it to
someone who is just getting into the barrel aged craze, if they release it
again (what do you say, guys??).